Surgical splint



Aug. 5, 1930.

J. J. ETTINGER SURGICAL S PLINT Filed Feb. 28, 1927 2 Sheets-She'et 1 J17 ZWZZF BY (am M .ALL

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g- 1930- J. J. ETTINGER 3 SURGICAL SPLINT Filed Feb. 28, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 N VEN TOR.

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Patented Aug. 5, 1930 UNITED STATES cries JOE J. ETTINGER, F WARSAW, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO ZIMMER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF WARSAW, INDIANA, A CORPORATION SURGICAL SPLINT Application filed. February 28, 1927.

The invention relates to surgical splints adapted primarily for use in retaining a fractured humerus.

The object of the invention is to provide an eflicient and simple splint having means thereon by which it may be readily adjusted to either arm of a. patient.

The invention is illustrated panying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of the splint; 2 a side elevational view of the splint; Fig. 8 a plan view of the inclined base of the humerous support; Fig. 4 a plan view of the adjustable support; Fig. 5 a cross-sectional elevational view of the adjustable support on line 55 of Fig. 4, and Fig. 6 another elevational view of the adjustable support.

Referring to the illustrative embodiment of the invention the main support 1 is designed to engage the side of the patient. A

triangularly shaped bracket 2 is rigidly secured to the outer or convex face of the curved support 1, the outwardly projecting leg 2 of the bracket making a selected angle with the other arm thereof that is secured to the support 1 the said angle being preferably approximately 45. A transversely curved plate or base 3 is secured to the leg 2 Longitudinal slots 4 are formed in the base 3 to slidably receive the bolts or studs 5 that are projected through apertures 6 in a curved plate 6, which plate substantially fits within the plate 3. Thumb nuts 7 and washers 8 in the accomv on the studs secure the plate 6 to the base 3 in any longitudinally adjusted position thereon.

A bracket 9, preferably a 90 angle, is secured by one arm to the lower surface of the plate 6 and at one side thereof and a similarly curved plate 10, having apertures 10 therein corresponding in location to the apertures 6 is secured to the other arm of the bracket 9. The two plates 6 and 10 are alike and they form an arm supporting unit.

The bracket 9 is so formed and the plates 6 and 10 are so secured thereto that the two plates form an angle one with the other both vertically and laterally (Fig. 6) in order that the lowermost plate shall abut the lower por- 5 tion of the arm when the elbow is bent nor- Serial No. 171,421.

mally. This arrangement of the two plates is much more comfortable for the wearer than if the two plates were in longitudinal alinement. The arm, therefore, is held rigid thereby in a natural position.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the arm supporting sections 6 and 10 are mounted on the base 3 for V supporting the right arm of the patient. When the device is to be applied to the left arm, the thumb nuts 7 and the bolts or studs 5 are removed, thereby releasing the unit of plates 6 and 10 from the base 3, and the plate 10 is placed on the base section 3, the studs are passed through the apertures 11 and through the slots l and the nuts 7 are engaged on the studs. The plate 10 is then adjusted longitudinally on the base to accommodate the upper arm of the patient, and the nuts 7 are tightened. Theplate section 6 now projects downwardly, inwardly and forwardly just as the plate section 10 projected when the section 6 was attached to the base section 3. The adjustment of the arm supporting unit is rapidly and readily accomplished and when the main body member is secured to the side of the patient the arm is held rigid in a comfortable position.

What I claim is:

A splint comprising a body-engaging section, a downwardly and outwardly inclined base rigidly carried by the body engaging section, and an arm-engaging member comprising two sections rigidly connected together and angularly disposed both vertically and laterally with respect to each other, either of said rigid sections being adapted to be attached to the inclined base whereby to apply the splint to either of the human arms.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name this 24th day of February, 1927.

' JOE J. ETTINGER. 

